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OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess right atrial (RA) function, including RA phase strain, via speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) in a cohort of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and in particular to explore the relationship between RA phase strain and the occurrence of cardiovascular events. METHODS: STE analyses of RA function were evaluated in patients with SLE-PAH and in 33 healthy control subjects. Clinical associations, serum biomarkers, echocardiographic data, survival times, and adverse cardiovascular events were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 66 patients with SLE-PAH were enrolled; they were divided into two groups based on the occurrence of adverse clinical events. RA phase strain was significantly reduced in patients with events than in patients without events. The endpoint was defined as the combined outcome of all-cause mortality, right heart failure, and rehospitalization due to disease progression. During a mean follow-up of 17.2 ± 9.9 months, 23 patients (35%) reached the endpoint. Compared with patients with RA reservoir strain (RASr) ≥33.45%, patients with RASr < 33.45% had more adverse long-term outcomes (log rank p < .0001). RASr was independently associated with adverse clinical outcomes according to multivariate analysis (p = .010). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that RA function has prognostic value for SLE-PAH patients, and strain analysis revealed that the worse the RA function is, the worse the prognosis.

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Inferior sinus venosus atrial septal defect (SVASD) is the rarest form of the atrial septal defect (ASD) and can sometimes go unnoticed. Although this defect can be associated with other congenital anomalies, its association with hypoplasia of the posterior mitral leaflet is extremely rare. In this case, we present a woman with a history of surgery for an ostium secundum ASD who exhibited persistent right heart chamber dilation. Echocardiography revealed hypoplasia of the posterior mitral leaflet, and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging confirmed the presence of a previously undetected inferior sinus venosus ASD.

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BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is an emerging pandemic associated with increased mortality, recurrent hospitalizations, and reduced quality of life. Guideline-directed medical therapy has been shown to improve outcomes, particularly in patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The main goal of HF clinics is optimizing medical therapy. OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of our HF clinic on medical therapy and clinical outcomes. METHODS: We obtained demographic, echocardiographic, and clinical data of patients listed in our HF clinic during a 4-year period. Medical therapy was evaluated based on patient reports and documented data. Recurrent admissions for HF were documented. RESULTS: A total of 317 patients (74.1% male, median age 66 years, IQR 55-74) were listed in the clinic with a total of 1140 visits. Of these patients, 62.5% had HFrEF, 20.5% presented with mildly reduced ejection fraction, and 17% showed preserved ejection fraction at the time of the first visit. The use of sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists was optimized in 92% and 91% of the patients, respectively. In the subgroup of patients with HFrEF, the use of angiotensin-receptor antagonist/neprilysin inhibitor increased from 22.6% to 87.9% (P < 0.001) and SGLT2 inhibitor use increased from 49.2% to 92% (P < 0.001). During the follow-up period (2.2 years, IQR 1.1-3.1), 203 patients (64%) were readmitted to the hospital for HF at least once. The rate of readmissions decreased over time. CONCLUSIONS: An HF clinic plays an important role in optimizing medical therapy and reducing readmissions.

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BACKGROUND: Degenerative severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) is increasingly prevalent in the aging population, leading to the adoption of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) as a less invasive alternative. While TAVR indications have expanded, the procedure is associated with a substantial incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE). The study aims to establish a preoperative risk-stratification system for TAVR candidates based on Sokolow-Lyon voltage (SLV) and other relevant factors. METHODS: A total of 181 consecutive patients who underwent TAVR were retrospectively reviewed. Baseline characteristics, preoperative electrocardiogram (ECG) and echocardiography findings, and TAVR procedures were assessed. Low SLV (<3.5 mV) was defined based on ECG measurements. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics revealed a mean age of 84 years, with 71.8% females. The two-year incidence of MACE defined as a composite of cardiac death and hospitalization due to heart failure, was 11.6%, significantly higher in the low SLV group. Low SLV emerged as an independent prognostic factor. The Tokyo Bay Risk (TBR) Score, including low SLV, Body Mass Index <18.5 kg/m2, and previous coronary artery disease, effectively stratified MACE risk. Higher TBR scores (2 or 3) correlated with increased MACE risk. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with low SLV in pre-procedural ECG demonstrated a heightened risk of two-year MACE. The TBR score, incorporating low SLV, proved valuable for preoperative risk assessment. Careful consideration of TAVR indications, along with TBR score integration, is crucial for optimizing outcomes.

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BACKGROUND: While left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is the primary variable utilized for prognosis following myocardial infarction (MI), it is relatively indiscriminate for survival in patients with mildly reduced (> 40%) or preserved LVEF (> 50%). Improving risk stratification in patients with mildly reduced or preserved LVEF remains an unmet need, and could be achieved by using a combination approach using prognostically validated measures of left-ventricular (LV) size, geometry, and function. AIMS: The aim of this study was to compare the prognostic utility of a Combined Echo-Score for predicting all-cause (ACM) and cardiac mortality (CM) following MI to LVEF alone, including the sub-groups with LVEF > 40% and LVEF > 50%. METHODS: Retrospective data on 3094 consecutive patients with MI from 2013 to 2021 who had inpatient echocardiography were included, including both patients with ST-elevation MI (n = 869 [28.1%]) and non-ST-elevation MI (n = 2225 [71.9%]). Echo-Score consisted of LVEF < 40% (2 points) or LVEF < 50% (1 point), and 1 point each for left atrial volume index > 34 mL/m2, septal E/e' > 15, abnormal LV mass-index, tricuspid regurgitation velocity > 2.8 m/s, and abnormal LV end-systolic volume-index. Simple addition was used to derive a score out of 7. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 4.5 years there were 445 deaths (130 cardiac deaths). On Cox proportional-hazards multivariable analysis incorporating significant clinical and echocardiographic predictors, Echo-Score was an independent predictor of both ACM (HR 1.34, p < .001) and CM (HR 1.59, p < .001). Inter-model comparisons of model 𝛘2, Harrel's C and Somer's D, and Receiver operating curves confirmed the superior prognostic value of Echo-Score for both endpoints compared to LVEF. In the subgroups with LVEF > 40% and LVEF > 50%, Echo-Score was similarly superior to LVEF for predicting ACM and CM. CONCLUSIONS: An Echo-Score composed of prognostically validated LV parameters is superior to LVEF alone for predicting survival in patients with MI, including the subgroups with mildly reduced and preserved LVEF. This could lead to improved patient risk stratification, better-targeted therapies, and potentially more efficient use of device therapies. Further studies should be considered to define the benefit of further investigation and treatment in high-risk subgroups.

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Sudden cardiac arrest/death in pediatric patients is a rare but potentially preventable event. Cardiomyopathies and channelopathies are the most common causes which are detectable with ECG and transthoracic echocardiography in asymptomatic subjects. Coronary artery anomalies are a rare cause of sudden cardiac arrest/death, but these events suggest that ECG and echocardiography, focused on the site of origin of the coronary arteries, should be both part of the screening tool of young athletes. Finally, the rare cardiac arrest events in young patients with ventricular preexcitation without prior symptoms or markers of high risk suggest that transcatheter ablation should be considered in all pediatric patients with ventricular preexcitation because it can eliminate the small long-term risk of sudden cardiac arrest/death, but a careful consideration of the most appropriate timing is mandatory.

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Although mitral annular calcification is a common degenerative condition of the fibrous mitral annulus, tricuspid annular calcification, especially isolated, is rare. We report the case of a 73-year-old male, with a history of hypertension and severe kyphoscoliosis, referred to the emergency department for progressive dyspnea and leg swelling. Echocardiography revealed a dilated right heart with a homogeneous, hyperechoic, crescent shaped mass along the tricuspid annulus. Computed tomography confirmed the calcific nature of the lesion. Right heart catheterization revealed mild pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension and a mild spirometrically-defined restrictive ventilatory defect. Kyphoscoliosis has recently been associated with alterations in cardiac deformation and with an increased risk of restrictive lung disease. In our patient, we hypothesized that both these anomalies could have led to premature tricuspid annular degeneration resulting in a giant tricuspid calcification.

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INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of mortality worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for accurate and efficient diagnostic tools. Echocardiography, a non-invasive imaging technique, plays a central role in the diagnosis of heart diseases, yet the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on its accuracy and speed has not yet been reviewed and summarized. This scoping review aims to address this research gap by synthesizing existing evidence on AI-assisted echocardiography's. METHODS: The study followed Arksey and O'Malley's six-stage model for scoping reviews and searched the databases PubMed, Web of Science and Livivo. Inclusion criteria encompassed studies from cardiology utilizing AI for heart diseases diagnosis in adults, published from 2018 to 2023. Data extraction focused on study characteristics, AI models employed, accuracy metrics, and diagnostic speed. RESULTS: From 1059 identified studies, nine records met the inclusion criteria, categorized into view classification, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) quantification, and diseases classification. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) were commonly used. While 44% of studies compared AI with cardiologists, those studies indicated AI's high diagnostic accuracy, with mean accuracy ranging from 87% to 92%. Three studies assessed AI's speed, demonstrating significant time savings. DISCUSSION: The review highlights AI's potential in enhancing diagnostic accuracy and efficiency in echocardiography, particularly in regions with limited access to specialized cardiologists. However, further research is needed to assess AI's specific added value compared to cardiologists, optimize training data quality, and enable real-time image processing.

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Background: Iron deficiency (ID) is common in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension and has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. We aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of iron supplementation in iron deficient patients with group 1 to 4 pulmonary hypertension (PH). Methods: A total of 85 PH patients (mean age 69.8 ± 12.0 years, 56.5% female) were included in this prospective trial. Patients were screened for ID at baseline. PH patients with ID received intravenous iron supplementation (500-1000 mg ferric carboxymaltose). PH patients without ID served as control group. At baseline and 16-week follow up, six-minute walk test (6MWT), laboratory testing and echocardiography were performed. Additionally, World Health Organization (WHO) functional class, fatigue score and quality of life (QoL) by the SF-36 questionnaire were assessed. Results: Overall, ID was present in 26.7% (n=8/30), 37.5% (n=9/24), 45.5% (n=10/22) and 44.4% (n=4/9) of patients in PH groups 1-4, respectively. In the total study population, iron restoration led to a significant mitigation of fatigue (p=0.01). However, 6MWT, WHO function class, NT-proBNP levels, QoL and right ventricular function did not change significantly. With regard to the underlying PH group, only PH group 3 patients experienced significant improvements in 6MWT distance (p=0.019), WHO functional class (p=0.017), fatigue (p=0.009) and some QoL domains, as compared to controls. Conclusions: ID was common in PH groups 1 to 4. Though intravenous iron supplementation adequately restored iron status and improved fatigue throughout all patients, in the underlying PH groups treatment was accompanied by improvements in exercise capacity, WHO function class and fatigue only in group 3 PH.

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BACKGROUND: Complications after percutaneous breast biopsy are infrequent but may include hematoma, pseudoaneurysm formation, persistent pain, infection, delayed wound healing, vasovagal reaction, hemothorax, pneumothorax, and neoplastic seeding. The risk factors include tumor factors (size, location, vascularity), procedure-related factors (needle diameter, number of biopsies), and interventionist experience. There has been no previous report of a fatal complication resulting from percutaneous breast biopsy. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a 54-year-old Asian woman with a 3 cm BI-RADS® 4B left breast mass in the lower-inner quadrant who was biopsied by a 16 G needle under ultrasound guidance at a province hospital. She experienced dizziness and near-syncope afterward. The initial evaluation showed evidence of cardiac tamponade with hemodynamic instability. She underwent urgent subxiphoid pericardial window and was transferred to our facility. We brought her directly to the operating room to perform an explorative median sternotomy and found a 0.2 cm hole in the right ventricle. The injured site was successfully repaired without cardiopulmonary bypass. Postoperative echocardiography demonstrated mild right ventricular dysfunction without evidence of septal or valvular injury. She survived with no significant complications. DISCUSSION: This case might be the first report of a life-threatening complication related to percutaneous breast core-needle biopsy. The rapid pericardial release is key to the survival of cardiac tamponade. The patient subsequently required cardiac repair and monitoring to avoid long-term complications. In this report, we suggested a safe biopsy method, complications recognition, and appropriate management of penetrating cardiac injury. CONCLUSION: Penetrating cardiac injury resulting from percutaneous breast biopsy is extremely rare but can occur. A biopsy must be done cautiously, and worst-case management should promptly be considered.

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BACKGROUND Cardiac calcified amorphous tumor (CCAT), a peculiar and uncommon non-neoplastic cardiac lesion, was initially characterized by Reynolds and colleagues in the medical literature in 1997. This distinctive entity is hallmarked by its unique feature of pedunculated and diffused calcifications, primarily infiltrating the cardiac structures, with a predilection for the mitral valve annulus initially, followed in sequence by the right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, left ventricle, and tricuspid valve annulus. The nature of CCATs, despite being benign, poses diagnostic dilemmas, as they frequently masquerade as malignant tumors due to their clinical presentations, which resemble those caused by potential complications such as obstructive masses and thromboembolic events. CASE REPORT A 50-year-old man presented to our hospital with shortness of breath. He had been short of breath for more than 5 years after repeated activities. Transthoracic echocardiography showed a mobile high echogenic mass from the middle of the right ventricular wall and pericardial effusion and right heart insufficiency. The electrocardiogram (ECG) results demonstrated a sinus rhythm, complete right bundle branch block, and T-wave alterations. Additionally, the chest computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a slightly enlarged heart with a lack of density and calcification in the right ventricle. He had an uneventful postoperative recovery after the resection of the cardiac tumor. The mass had not continued to grow when we compared it with preoperative cardiac color doppler echocardiography, after 3 months follow-up. CONCLUSIONS CCAT is a rare non-neoplastic cardiac entity. Diagnosis of CCAT poses a challenge due to the absence of distinct clinical features and its frequent misidentification as a malignant tumor mimic. Surgical resection serves as the sole treatment for symptom relief.

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BACKGROUND: Supraventricular extra beats (SVEB) are frequently observed in athletes but data on significance, prognostic role and correlation with cardiac remodeling are contrasting. It is uncertain whether SVEB may indicate the development of more complex arrhythmias and the need for closer monitoring is undetermined. The aim was to assess the prevalence and clinical significance of BESV in Olympic athletes of different sporting disciplines, evaluating potential correlations with cardiac remodeling and clinical features. METHODS: We enrolled athletes who participated at 2012-2022 Olympic Games, submitted to physical examination, blood tests, echocardiography and exercise tests, categorized into power, skills, endurance and mixed disciplines. RESULTS: We studied 1492 elite athletes: 56% male individuals, mean age 25.8 ±â€Š5.1 years; 29.5% practiced power, 12.3% skills, 21% endurance and 37.2% mixed disciplines. At exercise-stress tests, 6.2% had SVEB, mostly single beats. SVEB were not influenced by anthropometrics or blood test results. They were more common in male individuals (77.4 vs. 54.6%, P < 0.0001) and older athletes (27.1 ±â€Š5.7 vs. 25.7 ±â€Š5.1, P = 0.01). In male athletes with SVEB, higher left atrial volumes were observed (24.2 ±â€Š7.3 vs. 22.2 ±â€Š7.1 ml/m2, P = 0.03). No differences were found in terms of sporting discipline: despite larger left atrial dimensions in aerobic disciplines, SVEB rates were similar in different sporting disciplines (6.1% endurance, 6.3% mixed, 5.2% power and 8.7% skills; P = 0.435). CONCLUSION: SVEB were more common in older, male athletes and associated with higher left atrial volume (especially in male individuals) regardless of sport practiced. Athletes with greater left atrial volume and SVEB are supposed to have higher risk, in middle age, of developing more complex arrhythmias.

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Metabolic comorbidities, such as obesity and diabetes, are associated with subclinical alterations in both cardiac structure/function and natriuretic peptides prior to the onset of heart failure (HF). Despite this, the exact metabolic pathways of cardiac dysfunction which precede HF are not well-defined. Among older individuals without HF in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), we evaluated the associations of 47 circulating metabolites measured by 1H-NMR with echocardiographic measures of cardiac structure and function. We then evaluated associations of significant metabolites with circulating N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). In a separate cohort, we evaluated differences between top metabolites in patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and comorbidity-matched controls. Genetic variants associated with top metabolites (mQTLs) were then related to echocardiographic measures and NT-proBNP. Among 3440 individuals with metabolic and echocardiographic data in MESA (62 ± 10 years, 52% female, 38% White), 10 metabolites broadly reflective of glucose and amino acid metabolism were associated with at least 1 measure of cardiac structure or function. Of these 10 metabolites, 4 (myo-inositol, glucose, dimethylsulfone, carnitine) were associated with higher NT-proBNP and 2 (d-mannose, acetone) were associated with lower NT-proBNP. In a separate cohort, patients with HFpEF had higher circulating myo-inositol levels compared with comorbidity-matched controls. Genetic analyses revealed that 1 of 6 known myo-inositol mQTLs conferred risk of higher NT-proBNP. In conclusion, metabolomic profiling identifies several novel metabolites associated with cardiac dysfunction in a cohort at high risk for HF, revealing pathways potentially relevant to future HF risk.

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BACKGROUND: Ball thrombus is rare and life-threatening. The correct diagnosis and timely management are key to improving patient prognosis. Here, we present a case report and literature review of ball thrombus. CASE PRESENTATION: A 75-year-old woman presented to our outpatient clinic because of palpitations and chest distress for 8 months. She was diagnosed mitral stenosis, and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) showed a round mass attached to the left atrial (LA) wall. Before anesthesia induction, TTE found that the mass has dropped from the LA wall, and was spinning in the LA causing intermittent obstruction of the valve. Anesthesia induction was then carried out under TTE monitoring, and transesophageal echocardiograph found another mass in the LA appendage after intubation. She underwent LA mass removal and mitral valve replacement, and was discharged uneventfully. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of thrombus. Our literature review identified 19 cases of ball thrombus between 2015 and 2024. The average age was 54.8 (range 3-88) years. Heart failure was present as the initial symptom in 11 cases, and most patients had mitral valve disease or concomitant with atrial fibrillation. 12 cases received surgery, and 7 received medical treatment only. 2 deaths occurred, one due to the obstruction of left ventricular inflow tract and the other due to the worsening of heart failure. CONCLUSION: Ball thrombus is rare in clinical settings. Urgent thrombectomy should be performed as soon as possible, and echocardiography can be used for real-time monitoring during surgery.

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A 35-year-old woman was initially misdiagnosed with a muscular ventricular septal defect but was later correctly diagnosed with a double-chambered left ventricle following evaluation by echocardiography and cardiac computed tomography.

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OBJECTIVE: To analyze the function of the left heart in patients with different courses of gout, the independent influencing factors for left heart functional changes, and interactions between left atrial and left ventricular functions. METHODS: Patients with gout (n = 171) were selected; 87 patients with a disease course <10 years were included in Group I, and 84 patients with a disease course ≥10 years were included in Group II. Ninety-four healthy volunteers comprised the control group. RESULTS: The intergroup differences in cardiac strain parameters were statistically significant (p < .05). Moreover, the differences gradually declined with disease progression. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that uric acid was an independent predictor of decreased left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS). Moreover, LVGLS had a positive effect on the left atrial systolic rate (LASr) and the left atrial systolic contraction time (LASct) but no interaction with the left atrial systolic contraction duration (LAScd). CONCLUSION: The course of the disease significantly affected the function of the left heart in gout patients, and uric acid was observed to be an independent predictor of decreased LVGLS in gout patients.

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Despite being a rare phenomenon, pericardial hydatid cysts present unique diagnostic challenges and require a multimodality imaging as well as a multidisciplinary approach for a curative management. The authors here present a case of a middle aged man who was referred to them for management of new onset atrial flutter with mitral regurgitation.

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